|
Make sure you are using a reputable online dating service. You are off to a great start with Grand Central Pets Personals.
Take your time. Don't become prematurely intimate with someone, even if that intimacy only occurs online.
Do not believe everything you read online. Take everything with a grain of salt.
Do not give out personal information online. This includes addresses, financial information, work place, phone numbers, and anything else that could lead someone to you.
Ask for a photo, but remember that the photo they send could be old, doctored up, or even of someone else altogether. The more photos you can see, in various settings, the better.
Before meeting in person, start with a phone call, but only furnish your phone number when you feel comfortable doing so.
Only meet when you are ready. When you do meet, never arrange for your date to pick you up at home. Use your own transportation and choose a suitable public location where many people are present, and always take a friend with you. Be sure to tell someone where you're meeting and at what time you'll be returning. Provide someone with your date's name and telephone number. Never go home with your new friend or to a remote place. Stay in public.
Watch for warning signs. Stay away from people exhibiting inappropriate behavior. Such behavior includes making demeaning, disrespectful, or physically inappropriate comments; providing inconsistent information on physical and personality characteristics; refusing to provide direct answers to direct questions; or exhibiting a persona significantly different than he or she presented online. Walk away from anything that makes you uncomfortable.
If someone makes you uncomfortable, report it to Grand Central Pets right away. Make a copy of the message, and keep copies of anything offensive so it can be checked out.
Promptly report any attacks, threats, or stalking behavior to law enforcement authorities.
|
